Nine-Dragon Covered Bridge

Spanning both banks atop the dam of Nine-Dragon Lake at the entrance of Huayang Mountain Scenic Area stands a magnificent wooden arch covered bridge — the iconic landmark of Huayang Mountain, known as Nine-Dragon Covered Bridge. It takes its name from its position stretching over Nine-Dragon Lake.

Construction of the bridge began and finished in 2005, taking one full year to complete. It was designed by Professor Tang Huancheng, a preeminent authority on ancient Chinese bridges, and constructed under the supervision of Zheng Duojin, a folk craftsman hailed as the "Lone Master of Covered Bridges".

Wooden arch covered bridges, also called interlocking timber arch wind-and-rain bridges, form arched frames by interweaving and pressing timber beams to create rainbow-shaped spans, hence their alternative name "Rainbow Bridges". They represent the most technically sophisticated type among all traditional Chinese wooden bridges. Built in strict accordance with the structural techniques of the Bian River Rainbow Bridge depicted in the Northern Song painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival, Nine-Dragon Covered Bridge is assembled entirely through wooden mortise-and-tenon joints without a single iron nail or metal fastener. Its supporting frames interlock tightly, piece by piece, forming an integrated, naturally cohesive whole.

The structure combines a bridge and a dam, with a total length of 99 meters. The bridge span itself stretches 19 meters, flanked by 40-meter-long dam sections on each side. Twenty-three symmetrically arranged covered bays line the bridge, which measures 4.6 meters wide with a structural layout of four columns and nine purlins. At both ends of the covered corridor stand waterside pavilions with triple-bay double-eave gable roofs, while the central bay features a double-eave hip-and-gable roof tiled with orange-red glazed tiles. Elegant curved bench railings (beauty seats) run along both sides of the bridge, and the deck is paved with neatly cut granite slabs. Dragon motifs are integrated throughout the design: carvings of dragons frolicking with pearls adorn the hip-and-gable roof, while stone dragons reaching toward the lake decorate the bridge underside, fully embodying the imposing momentum of flood dragons soaring toward the sky.

Building the covered bridge was an enormous undertaking. Over 200 cubic meters of Chinese fir timber were consumed, with a total investment of 1.35 million yuan. Beyond structural science, the construction took full account of Huayang Mountain’s wind direction, wind force, mountain flood risks and other natural conditions. Great attention was also paid to traditional folk customs: seventeen auspicious dates were carefully selected for every major construction phase, including ground-breaking, commencement, timber frame erection, measuring timber beams and raising the main ridge beam. A grand sacrificial ceremony was specially held for the ridge beam-laying ritual.

This covered bridge embodies the unparalleled craftsmanship of the bridge expert and the lone folk master. Today, both Tang Huancheng and Zheng Duojin are advanced in years. Nine-Dragon Covered Bridge serves as their swan song, rendering it extraordinarily significant and valuable.